It is also easy to see the quad exhaust pipes.
We last saw the Acura MDX Type S in early 2019, with heavy camouflage. We should clarify this by saying that it was wearing very heavy camouflage. This new sighting shows the prototype with almost every square inch covered. This thick wrap is oddly absent from the grille, which helps us identify it as an Acura.
Details about the SUV are still being closely guarded, though we can spot some tidbits. The prototype seems to have production-spec headlights underneath the covers. Or at least something less strange than the placeholder lenses that we saw on the last test vehicle. The central air intake can be seen on the lower fascia. This, combined with the visible grille, suggests that this people-mover will have a familiar face.
How can we tell if this is a Type S? Although nothing is certain, the SUV’s quad exhaust outlets at its back and large rubber at each corner suggest that it has more power than the MDX. We don’t know the exact power, but we believe it will come from an Acura turbocharged V-6. The MDX currently offers a 3.5-liter V6 and a 3.0-liter Sport hybrid models, both of which are available without forced induction.
Acura recently drove a modified MDX Sport Hybrid to Pikes Peak. It was equipped with a 400-horsepower engine that combined a modified version the 3.5-liter engine with the hybrid’s three electric engines. The Type-S might look cool, but logic suggests that the production SUV will take a more traditional approach. The rumors of a turbo V6 are quite strong, and a force-fed version 3.5 turning all four wheels might have potential.
These rumors suggest that we are only six months away from the full reveal of 2020 MDX Type-S, despite all the thick covers. Look out for more prototype sightings soon if that is the case.